Do antepartum serum ascorbic acid values predict hypertensive diseases in pregnancy?

OBJECTIVE: Our bvpothcsis is that preeclampsia diminishes the- supplv of ascorbic, acid (AA) to the ictus and ilia! anirpartuni sei urn AA. values predict the development ot preeclampsia (PE). STUDY DESIGN: A longitudinal prospective siudy of 129 pregnant volunteet s was undertaken. Women wei e identified as being hvpenensive by ACOG and stratified into 1 groups (mild or sever e PK. chronic and normotensive. Blood siimples were collected Onoughout pregnauccy. Cord blood and placeutal [issue uere collected at deinen. At each clinic visit. a 24-hr dietary recall and nutritional supplement questionnaire was taken. AA in serum and tissue was delerinined by conventional spenrophotometrv. RESULTS: 107 nonnotensive ,md 22 hvpcrieusive (9 mild FF, 8 srvere PK and 5 chronic) women were idenliiied. At delivery. maternal serum AA, cord serum AA and placenta! tissue AA were significanth decreased (p < 0.009) iu mild PK and severe PE compared to nonuoteusive subjects. Second irhnester (22 ±2wks) and third trimester (S4 r 2wks) si-rum AA values piedicied (logistic iegression anahsis) the ousel (if PK (p < 0.049 p < 0.01 1. respectively ). When mild and severe PK were analvecl separately, only mild PE was predictive in second and tliird trimester. Daily intake of AA was similai in normotensive and mild PK but siguiticantlv greater (p < 0.005) in severe PE. No differences in AA values were identified hetueen chronic hypertensive tensive and norrnotensivr women. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest thai free-radic als genei ated in PK clestiov AA and tbat the ietns may be al risk loi' diminished AA status. Second and third uimester AA appeal to predict the development of PK while AA intake during piegnancv mav influc-nce the development ot preeclampsia.